In this parashah, we read about the Jewish people's journey through the desert and the various places where they camped. One of these was called Hor Hahar, where Aaron died. The Torah states that Aaron died on the first day of the fifth month.
Did you know that Aaron is the only person whose date of death is mentioned in the Torah?
Our sages explain that on the day of a person's passing, everything they fought for during their life, their service to God, is strengthened and brings about a change in the world.
We can see a clear connection between Aaron's work and the day of his death. The first day of the fifth month is the first day of the month of Av, a sad time for the Jewish people; it is the beginning of the nine days of mourning for the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Torah says that Aaron died beejad la jodesh - "on the first day" of the month. The word "one" tells us what Aaron's job was. He was a person who loved peace and pursued peace, trying to unite people. He did everything he could to stop arguments and help people live together in harmony.
Our sages say that the destruction of the Temple and the subsequent exile occurred because of a lack of ajdut - unity among the Jews. Therefore, creating more unity will negate the cause of the exile, and when there is no longer a reason for the exile, it will end!
The extra strength to ajdut What we learn from the day of Aaron's death is exactly what we need to get through these nine days. We must learn from him to love peace and pursue peace.
Extracted from Please tell me what the Rebbe says.